Being Healthy!

Skippy Truffle Cookies

2009-05-29T10:15:00.010-06:00

I love this recipe, I found it in the back of the cupboard, cut out of a newspaper or something. Here it is, and I'll revise it further down:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1: Oven - 350

2: Mix all of the ingredients, with the chocolate chips last.

3: Use an ungreased baking sheet. Scoop into slightly rounded teaspoon fulls.

4: Bake 9 minutes.

Supposedly makes 4.5 dozen very small cookies.

They turn out puffy for me every time, which I love!

That's a pretty good recipe, and it's nice because it's gluten free. I was in charge of making some cookies for an event, and so I didn't want to play with the recipe too much. But I did just a little bit. I decided to experiment with stevia. Stevia has a distinctive flavor, so I didn't want to use it as the only sweetener. So I halved the brown sugar, and added a 1/2 teaspoon of green leaf stevia powder (I find it cheap at a place called Good Earth Natural Foods my LHFS) plus some white flour to make up for lost volume. Anyways, unfortunately they were a hit, and they were all eaten.

The next time I make them for me and my family, I'm going to play with it even more. Here's what the new recipe will look like.

-1 cup natural peanut butter - you can probably find a machine where it turns peanuts into peanut butter before your very eyes, for a better price then any peanut butter in the store. At least in my case. If after you've mixed it all together, it doesn't seem the right consistancy, then add some (preferably organic and grass fed) butter or coconut oil. Since we aren't using creamy peanut butter full of hydrogenated vegetable oils, it might be less creamy.

-1/2 cup sucanat - it's a good replacement for brown sugar
-1/2 teaspoon green stevia powder - it's the most natural form of stevia
-1/2 cup flour - when I try it, I'm going to use soaked, freshly ground whole wheat flour, but the first time I did it I used white flour, just be safe. Freshly ground flour it supposed to have high phytase levels. You could also try coconut flour or something to keep it gluten/wheat free, which would be great. I'll probably be experimenting with this one.

-1 large egg - preferably pasture raised.
-1 teaspoon baking soda.
-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - try to find organic, or else it might very well be GMO.

Then follow the directions above and enjoy!!!

THIS POST IS PART OF FIGHT BACK FRIDAY, a new one TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY!!! AND REAL FOOD WEDNESDAY!!!

Real Eggs and finding them

2009-05-01T16:20:00.005-06:00

Real Eggs

Let me define real eggs first, in case you don't know. Real eggs are eggs that were collected from hens who:

1 - Were free to roam around a pasture
2 - Ate what ever they could find, including bugs
3 - Had plenty of space
4 - Were happy, like chickens should be

Nutrition

According to Food Renegade These eggs contain:

* 1⁄3 less cholesterol
* 1⁄4 less saturated fat
* 2⁄3 more vitamin A
* 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
* 3 times more vitamin E
* 7 times more beta carotene
* 4 to 6 times more vitamin D

Where do you find such novelties?

Well, you can try www.localharvest.org, www.craigslist.com, or www.eatwild.com for starters. None of those websites ended up working out for me. Where I found my eggs is from the classifieds section of www.ksl.com. That's the most popular news station in Utah (where I live). But chances are you don't live in Utah, so go to the Classifieds section of the most popular news station in your state/area. Or try your local chapter: www.westonaprice.org/localchapters/index.html#locallist. I contacted mine, and she was pretty helpful and nice. They can help you find real food.

Raw Eggs

If you do get your hands one real eggs, make sure they come from healthy hens! If they are from healthy hens, then they won't have salmonella, and you can eat them raw! According to Dr. Mercola the chances of eating a contaminated egg are 1 in 30,000. And raw eggs are really good for you. They are still a 'live' food. Just throw them in a shake. Eat several a day if you have access to that many eggs. Eggs are so good for you.

You can also try keeping hens as pets, if you are permitted in your area. One day I will try this, but that is not this day.

UPDATE: HERE IS A GIVEAWAY!

Corn is Everywhere

2009-05-01T16:19:00.002-06:00

Corn converts quickly to sugar and so it is best avoided. It is also a grain, not a vegetable. Grains are harder to digest, in general. Avoid eating too much corn. Corn is everywhere!:

*High Fructose Corn Syrup (avoid is completely), even worse is crystallized fructose which is supposed to be healthy, but it has a higher concentration of fructose than HFCS!

* The obvious (corn, corn starch, corn meal, corn syrup, etc)

* Corn Derivatives (it's a long, long list of chemicals, too long to reproduce here)

* Basically any ingredient that doesn’t specify it’s food source. (For example malt can be from corn or barley. Vinegar… guess what the cheapest source is.)

* Scented things like perfume, candles, air freshener, etc

* Cleaning supplies including laundry soap

* Fruits and vegetables (Many are coated with corn wax or oil or washed with water and citric acid. This includes many organic. It makes them shine.)

* Iodized salt (Corn is the glue that makes the iodine stick)

* Dairy products (Any milk with vitamins (most have A and D) use a corn derivative to help them “stick”. Plus most US milk is corn fed and it does pass through with the protein intact. Grass fed is best!)

* Meat (Most wrappers are dusted with corn to prevent them from sticking. Also any added colors or flavor solutions often contain corn.)

* Eggs (Corn oil rubbed on the shells, which are porous, so it can get through)

* Bread (Besides the obvious they can be cooked on corn meal so it sticks to the crust… and not labeled as containing corn)

* Medicine (Cornstarch is used as a filler in a lot of pills and capsules)

* Gasoline (A lot is now 10% or more ethanol.)

* I believe a lot is also GM

So, don't over do it on corn.

Eating Too Much

2009-05-01T16:18:00.002-06:00

I've learned something very important over the past few months: If I'm bored, then I eat! Even if I'm full, I just kind of want to snack on something if I'm not doing anything else. Well, a lot of times the snacks available aren't very healthy.

One day, I had just finished a good/nutritious meal, and about an hour later, I was still full, but I found myself snacking. I was snacking on things that weren't that good for me.

How can I stop doing this?!

Well, I discovered the solution to my problem: DO SOMETHING!!!

If you are doing something, then you aren't eating, and you don't even think about your stomach. There are so many things to do. You can read a book, do laundry, go shopping, check your email, write a letter to somebody, call a friend or member of the family, go to the library, do homework, sew a blanket, learn something new, etc...

Don't waste your time over-eating when you could be doing something productive!

My favorite way for making Yogurt

2009-05-01T16:18:00.001-06:00

I love yogurt, and I have for a long time. So, one day, I wondered if it was remotely possible to make your own, and you probably know that it is! I've tried a few different ways, and let me share with you my favorite way. And it's really easy, that's why I like.

What you need:
-2 glass jars, glass is much better than plastic
-a pot, or something to heat your milk in
-7 cups of milk, you'll be heating the milk to 180 degrees, which basically pasteurizes it, unfortunately
-1/2 cup of yogurt starter, from a previous batch or from store-bought yogurt without thickeners. Apparently, after a while you'll need to buy more yogurt because your culture will weaken.
-1/2 cup of dried milk powder to thicken
-thermometer
-a small cooler
-2 heat packs. I'm not sure what they're called, but ours are socks filled with corn.

That looks like a lot, but you probably already have most of that.

This is how I do it. And your yogurt will be thick, because of the milk powder!

1 - Heat the milk to 180 degrees in a pot. I use a saucepan. Like I mentioned, this kills all the good bacteria. I wish there was another way. If there is, then I don't know about it. If you have access to milk from grass-fed cows, then that is best. It's good to heat the milk slowly because it doesn't damage the milk as much. I usually heat it on medium heat, which is probably to fast, but I'm usually in a hurry.

2 - While the milk is heating, add the 1/2 cup powdered milk. Whisk it around and if you have any clumps, scoop them out. If your not careful, then the milk will scald at the bottom. But if it does, then don't worry about it.

3 - Once the milk reaches 180 degrees, take it off the heat and let it cool. I pour it into a big glass measuring cup.

4 - Get your yogurt starter out so that it can be warming up so it doesn't shock the milk.

5 - Let the yogurt sit until it reaches 100 degrees.

6 - Once it reaches 100 degrees, whisk in the yogurt starter.

7 - Have your heat packs ready by microwaving them for three minutes.

8 - Pour your milk-yogurt mixture into glass jars. It takes two large mason jars for me. It works out well.

9 - Put the jars (with the yogurt) into the cooler (like this one).

10 - Let is sit for 8-10 hours (or however long you prefer) and then enjoy!

You can add fruit, vanilla, jam, or sugar if you can't stand the sour taste. I drink kefir everyday, so the sour taste in the yogurt is nothing.

Cost

This recipe makes about 64 ounces of yogurt, which costs:

- Using pasteurized/normal grocery store milk ($1.59 where I live)-- about 60 cents

- Using organic milk ($3.00)-- about $1.50

- Using grass-fed, raw milk ($6.00)-- about $3.00 for 64 ounces!

The cheapest yogurt that you can buy here in the grocery store can be as low as $3.00 for 64 ounces. And that yogurt is dirt cheap. Most brands are about twice that, depending on what size you get, and what brand.

The Microwave (Stay Away)

2009-05-01T16:17:00.000-06:00

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Microwaves just aren't natural. I used to use the microwave tons and after a while, I started to hesitate more and more before I put something in there. Now I haven't use a microwave in a long time. Maybe it's me being overly cautious, but I tend to be that way when my health is on the line.

How do they work?

I read about this in a textbook once, but Dr. Mercola says it better:

"...microwaves generated from the magnetron bombard the food, they cause the polar molecules to rotate at the same frequency millions of times a second.

All this agitation creates molecular "friction", which heats up the food. This unusual type of heating also causes substantial damage to the surrounding molecules, often tearing them apart or forcefully deforming them."

Food should not be cooked that way.

My research on microwaves:

Anti Microwave Website - I'll go over the most interesting things from this website, and some of them are not from that website.

1 - It cooks food from the inside out. That's gross and weird.

2 - Someone heated blood in the microwave before a transfusion, and the person who received the blood died.

3 - Microwaves decrease hemoglobin levels after using microwaves for a month.

4 - After using a microwave for a year, unrecognizable mutations were found in the patients.

5 - Decreased good cholesterol (HDL), increased bad (LDL)

6 - Brain damage

7 - Produces free radicals

8 - Microwaved food is hard to digest

9 - Microwaves cause molecular damage to the food you make

The site gives a great/disturbing list of things that microwaves do to your food:

"1. Heating prepared meats in a microwave sufficiently for human consumption created:
* d-Nitrosodiethanolamine (a well-known cancer-causing agent)
* Destabilization of active protein biomolecular compounds
* Creation of a binding effect to radioactivity in the atmosphere
* Creation of cancer-causing agents within protein-hydrosylate compounds in milk and cereal grains;
2. Microwave emissions also caused alteration in the catabolic (breakdown) behavior of glucoside - and galactoside - elements within frozen fruits when thawed in this way;
3. Microwaves altered catabolic behavior of plant-alkaloids when raw, cooked or frozen vegetables were exposed for even very short periods;
4. Cancer-causing free radicals were formed within certain trace-mineral molecular formations in plant substances, especially in raw root vegetables;
5. Ingestion of micro-waved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells in blood;
6. Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions occurred in the lymphatic system, causing degeneration of the immune system=s capacity to protect itself against cancerous growth;
7. The unstable catabolism of micro-waved foods altered their elemental food substances, leading to disorders in the digestive system;
8. Those ingesting micro-waved foods showed a statistically higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, plus a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues with a gradual breakdown of digestive and excretory system function;
9. Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritional value of all foods studied, particularly:

* A decrease in the bioavailability of B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotrophics
* Destruction of the nutritional value of nucleoproteins in meats
* Lowering of the metabolic activity of alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides (all basic plant substances in fruits and vegetables)
* Marked acceleration of structural disintegration in all foods."

To conclude

This is one where (if the evidence isn't good enough) you just kind of have to follow your instinct and common sense. Microwaves are not natural. Not natural = bad. So, microwaves = bad.

2009-05-01T16:16:00.002-06:00

Estrogen is a hormone that is in both males and females (not as much in males though) and so you would think that consuming things with it would be alright, right?

Well, no, and many probably already know that. I'm determined to make you learn something anyways!

So, without getting into the role that this hormone plays in our body, I'll mention some things that it's found in and the first three main things that come to mind are:

1 - Plastic - the more flexible the plastic the worse it is, and the more toxic ____ (feel in the blank) it leaches into your food. I still use plastic, but I'm trying to stop! I have a glass water bottle, and it's kind of heavy, and I'm deathly afraid of breaking it, but with a little extra care I've been fine. I've also read somewhat about SIGG bottles which supposedly don't leak toxins. If you are interested in them, you could go here. No, I am not affiliated with them or anything :)

2 - Flaxseed - this one is sad for me, I'm really working on finding a good omega-3 supplement for my diet right now. This would have made the hunt simple. But no. Even though it is plant based, it still is like the estrogen in your body and can raise your levels. Your body produces all you need.

3 - Soy - Soy is supposed to be a health food but it's not. There are some good things about it, but the bad far outweigh the good. The soy companies lead us to believe that like the Chinese eat tons of soy, but they eat hardly any at all, just a few teaspoons a day. And the soy they do eat is fermented (which is another story) so it's easier to digest. Soymilk tastes really good, but it's definitely a bad choice. Your best choice is probably to avoid soy altogether, unless maybe you're chinese and your body is used to it.

Other different hormone disrupters:

1 - Phthalates - Usually in things you use to care for your body, like shampoo. The shampoo/conditioner/chapstick I use is almost completely natural (like 98%). It's not organic though, but it will have to do. I read that the lipstick you put on all ends up being absorbed, so you are basically eating it.

2 - Pasteurized Dairy - Try to find raw milk. If you look around and it's not illegal where you live, then you should be able to find some. Popularity for it is definitely growing!

Oooh. Here are some more good ones, after doing a search. I'll summarize them below.

3 - Propyl gallate - A preservative used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling.

* Hair products
* Adhesives and lubricants
* Processed meat products and potato products
* Chicken soup base
* Chewing gum and candy
* Dried milk
* Baked goods, and more

4 -4-hexylresorcinol, which is used to prevent discoloration in shrimp and other shellfish.

* Pharmaceutical acne treatments
* Anti-dandruff shampoo
* Sunscreen lotions
* Antiseptic mouthwashes
* Skin wound cleansers
* Throat lozenges

Vitamin D

2009-05-01T16:16:00.001-06:00

This important vitamin is often over-looked. It's actually not a vitamin though, it's like or hormone regulator or something. And how many genes in your body does it regulate? 2,000 out of 30,000 is how many.

Sure, it's only 2,000, which may or may not seem like a lot to you. But it doesn't take a whole lot of mutated genes to cause cancer or a mutation or something.

Think back about 300 years when your ancestors probably spent tons of time in the sun, gardening, playing, or whatever. Were people always getting skin cancer back then? No.

I recently saw this graph about how much skin cancer/melanoma had risen in the past 30 years. The rates have tripled for men, and doubled for women. I found that information on a sunscreen company's website. If you think about it, have we been getting more sun over the past 30 years than our ancestors? Have we been putting on less sunscreen? The answer for both is no. We have been getting a lot less sun and slathering on chemicals that are supposed to protect us, but really only protect us from absorbing vitamin D. Not only are most sunscreens full of chemicals, they also keep block the vitamin D that your skin needs.

So get out in the sun. I know this is really hard to do, so you can also supplement your vitamin D. Get D3, not D2. D2 is artificial and produced by plants. D3 is more like the kind your body produces.

Supplementing

Right now, I take about 2,000 IU's a day. Some people need more, some need less, I take more on the low side, just to be safe. You can get your levels tested, but that means pricking your finger, which I don't want to do in the near future. You can also use your own health as a guide. However much makes you feel the best is the right level for you.

Exposure to Sunlight

Or you can go out in the sun. About twenty minutes (with a lot of skin exposed) lets you absorb 20,000 IU's. Once you have enough, your body will stop absorbing it. This is the safest way.

Do not get sunburned though, because that is not healthy.

Something else to keep in mind is that the darker your skin, the more sun you'll need. Also, if you are older, than your body absorbs less. And a general rule is that if your shadow is longer than you, then you are probably not absorbing (at least very much) vitamin D.

So start keeping tabs on how much sun you get, and don't be like how I was, a shade-seeking, sunscreen-slathering freak!

Symptoms

This is Dr. Mercola's (I love is newsletters!) of things that are at least partially a result of a vitamin D deficiency:

Cancer, Hypertension, Heart disease, Autism, Obesity, Rheumatoid arthritis, Diabetes 1 and 2, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Cold & Flu, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Tuberculosis, Septicemia, Signs of aging, Dementia, Eczema & Psoriasis, Insomnia, Hearing loss, Muscle pain, Cavities, Periodontal disease, Osteoporosis, Macular degeneration, Reduced C-section risk, Pre eclampsia, Seizures, Infertility, Asthma, Cystic fibrosis, Migraines, Depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and Schizophrenia

FIGHT BACK FRIDAY'S!

Baking Soda

2009-05-01T16:15:00.001-06:00

For the record, I don't spend a whole lot of time or thought on cleaning-things, but since I just did hydrogen peroxide, I'll talk about baking soda now.

Baking soda is another things that's very cheap, and is another great alternative to lots of things.

Some things I use it for:

1 - To brush my teeth - I've used it alone, or you can use it with your toothpaste. I eventually got around to finding a natural toothpaste without chemicals. Your toothpaste could say natural and have something like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in it still.

2 - To exfoliate, usually my face - It leaves your face fresh, but don't leave it on for long, it's drying!

3 - As a great deodorant - I use a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Sometimes I need to put it on twice during the day, I'm kind of new at using it. Anyways, it kills the bacteria, which causes the smell. I love it, and it's natural. Antiperspirants are bad because, for one, it's obviously not natural, and for two, sweating is a great way to get rid of toxins. So most deodorants aren't healthy. Some people just put the baking soda under their arm and have had a lot of success.

4 - And of course, for baking! It's what makes the cookies raise :)

I also forgot two things about the hydrogen peroxide:

1 - If you have a problem with earwax build up (like I do) then you can lie on your side a put a few drops in. Then after some time, maybe ten minutes, let it drip back out if it will come. It feels weird and you'll be able to hear it fizzing (a sound I find satisfying). If you tilt your head on it's side then it will plug your ear, but that's okay, because you'll eventaully let it drip out. It definitely beats getting your ear irrigated (I know from experience).

2 - Another good deodorant. If I use plain hydrogen peroxide then I have to spray it on twice. That's why I mix it with baking soda because the baking soda will stay there. I put it all in a squirt bottle, which makes it so easy.

Good luck, I hope I helped you!

Away with Agave and Xylitol

2009-04-30T03:21:00.030-06:00

Agave

Agave is metabolized slower, so your insulin doesn't spike.

But it also has a higher fructose content than high fructose corn syrup. That should be enough to throw it away.

Kelly (visit her website) said Sally Fallon said: 'While high fructose agave syrup won’t spike your blood glucose levels (due to its inulin content), the fructose in it may cause mineral depletion, liver inflammation, hardening of the arteries, insulin resistance leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity.'

Xylitol

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is also supposed to be a healthier alternative because it also is supposed to not raise your insulin. It is also good for your teeth, so it's probably fine to use it in things like toothpaste. But if you xylitol is not organic, it probably comes from GMO cornfields from China. It also seems very much like an artificial sweetener to me (but not as bad). If you eat too much, then it can also give you some digestive problems. So stay away from it too.

My take on Xylitol - I just bought some, and I'm not going to throw it away--yet. I'll use it till it's gone. The only things I use it for are:
- toothpaste -(Spry)
- gum - I'd rather not chew gum, but I do once in a while. Like when I'm at a dance, and I have to shout in my partner's face to be heard, I don't want to be blowing bad breath in her face. Or when I'm going to be talking to other people, gum is a must. I take good care of my teeth, but my breath seems to deteriorate.
- hot chocolate - Hot drinks aren't good for you, so maybe warm chocolate would be a better way to put it. I'm cheap and I don't want to throw away all my xylitol, so I'm going to gradually use up the few cups I have left on hot chocolate mixes.

My take on Agave - I just bought some of this too so I can't throw it away. I may use it on occasion, but it will probably sit in the back of the cupboard. I'll never by either of these sweeteners again.

Good Sweeteners - Instead you should focus on eating traditional sweeteners:

-Honey (raw)
-Maple Syrup (real)
-Molasses (I've heard good things about Blackstrap)
-Sucanat (SUgar CAne NATural)
-Stevia (the green powder is best and most unrefined)

BUT keep in mind, sweeteners are NOT good for you, you'd be better off without any, except maybe some here and there for a treat.

THIS POST IS PART OF FIGHT BACK FRIDAY AND REAL FOOD WEDNESDAY

Taking hot showers

2009-04-30T03:21:00.020-06:00

What's better than a 'piping hot' shower on a cold or rainy day? Well, a lot of things are healthier, unfortunately. I have the hardest time turning off the shower, especially in the morning, which is not at all funny.

"Our skin contains special proteins and fats that make up a protective barrier and lock in moisture to protect us from harsh outside environments. Dry winter air, forced-air heating, extremes of temperature and the frequent hot baths and showers we take all strip our skin of this natural protection," says Dr. Megan Moor. So, instead of making your skin more moist, it can dry it, and strip it of it's protection.

Others I've read have speculated that it may be a cause of melanoma.

If you are ever in doubt, ask yourself if your ancestors took long hot showers? The answer is probably not. They maybe warmed their bath water once in a while as a treat, but they probably did not have hot baths or showers every day like many people do. Shorter showers are also better for the environment.

So what are things you can do? Well, try a cooler shower, and make it shorter! Also, it helps to exfoliate your skin every once in a while so you can make sure you don't have dead skin cells building up on it, and your pores have plenty of room to breathe and excrete toxins.

Skin Care Products

Also, I haven't written about it yet, but make sure you are using all natural skin care products. You don't want to be rubbing toxins onto your skin. Don't shampoo your hair every day either. Your scalp produces protective oils for your hair, and you don't want to wash those out every day. Once or twice a week should be enough, but it depends on whether your hair is really oily or not.

OH, AND THIS POST IS PART OF TWO CARNIVALS HOSTED BY CHEESESLAVE AND FOOD RENEGADE, SO GIVE THEM A VISIT!!!

And read the comments for other people's experience!

Hydrogen Peroxide for your health

2009-03-16T16:12:00.004-06:00

I love hydrogen peroxide! Go get some right now. I like it for a couple reasons:

1 - It's cheap! You get this big bottle for less than a $1.00

2 - It's a great cleaner!

From my experience, hydrogen peroxide is found in the pharmacy. We had it at our local grocery store, so I bet you'll have it too.

One of the things that I use it for it to clean my teeth. Almost every day, I swish it around in my mouth for about a minute and then spit it out, then brush my teeth (with the most natural toothpaste I could find, Spry). It leaves your feeling so clean (because they are clean) and a lot of people think it makes them look whiter (like me). Also, I always give my toothbrush a few squirts, because after sitting out, it has plenty of time to grow bacteria and other stuff on it.

Another thing that it can be used for is to clean things/surfaces in your house. A natural way to clean a surface (without harmful chemicals and stuff) is to spray it with vinegar, then hydrogen peroxide.

Some people report having cured different kinds of diseases and stuff by consuming a few drops of FOOD GRADE 35% solution. Google this, I haven't tried it. I think it's like a cleanser or something.

It comes diluted to 3% and usually has stabilizers in that you want to be careful you don't ingest this kind. This is the kind that you will probably find. I haven't found food grade yet.

Have fun with it, but be careful, it is a chemical!

Update: GOOD INFO FROM THE POSTERS, THEY KNOW A LOT! AND THIS IS PART OF FIGHT BACK FRIDAY'S @ FOOD RENEGADE (I always forget that part).